System of power generation.



PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906 L. G. SBLOVBR. OF POWER GENERATION.

APPLICATION FILED IAHHS. 1902.

PATENTEB MAR. 6, 190a.

PQWEE. ssmanmn.

LYPLICATISH FILED IABG. 1902.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3:

UNITED sTA rns PATENT OFFICE.

\ SYSTEM OF POWER GENEFIATlON.

No. 814,237. Specification of Letters -Patent. Men L-BQ. march 6, 1906.

Application filed l 'flh 6; 1902. Serial No. 96,941.

To will whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LEE G. Snnovmna citizen of the United States, residing at Winona,

, in the county of Winona and State of Minne sets, have invented a certain newrand useful System of Power Generation,-of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for generat ing motive power throu h the expansion of hot gases resulting from t e combustion of an infhunnia-ble gas or oil-vapor mixed with a body of air in such proportions as to produce a thorough oolnbustlon and maximum ex ansive effect; and my invention further re ates to that type of power-generating devices of the class hereinabove referred to wherein the combustible mixture has added thereto a cer tain pro ortion of steam-vapor which serves to modi y and temper theintcnse heat of the ignited gases, and thus render them capable of expunsion and utilization in the cylinder of a reciprocating engine.

In most systems of this general class with which I am acquainted the constituents of the combustible charge have ordinarily been united before introduction to the combustionchamber, whether this chamber lips been within the expansion-cylinder of the engine or exterior thereto, this union having been cllectcd either in the compressor or in a carbureter or mixer interposed at some convenient oint between the compressing cuts and t 1e point at which the charges were red. This has been rendered possible by the use of comparatively low pressures in which there was no danger of spontaneously igniting the mixture through the heat generated by compression. Moreover, systems of this character sometimes employ water-jackets in con ncctiou with the compressing agent and sometimes also in connection with the $013 bustlonvhnmlier, either with or without the use of steam-vapor in connection with the burning of the combustible charges; but so for as 1 am aware the heat units extracted by such water-jackets, which represent u very considerable percentage of the potential enorgy of the charges, have been conunonlv thrown away entirely or s ibsequently utilized in a roundaboutnnd iniprseticziblemanner and to but a slight extent.

It is obvious that the general eiliciency of any system of power generation is almost directly proportional to the conservation and utilization of the heat units that may be developed in the preparation and consurn tion of the motive agent; and the primary 0 )ject and purpose of m invention may be generally stated to be t e attainment of a. reater thermal efficiency than in any other nown system employing combustible mixtures. In carrying out this object I employ comparative y high pressures in the preparation for combustion of the motive agent, and in View of the fact that in the attainment of the best results it may be that such pressures will be employed as would endanger s ontane ous ignition if compression were of ected in a single cylinder I prefer to eliminate such a contingency by employing so crate compress elem-cylinders for the air on fuel, the some to be brou ht into conjunctiononly at a point where it dhsired to effect a union and combustion. The employment of high pressures in the compression of the components of the charges necessarily generates e large amount of heat in the compressed components and in the walls of the compressors, which best stands for a very considerable proportion of the power or'cnergy expended in efiecting the compression. The employment of water as a cooling medium in conjunction with a system of this type therefore ap ears to be necessary in or or to maintain t is compressors and working parts at an operative temperature. it is important that the heat absorbed by this water be utilized, and in order to realize this object it becomes necessary to maintnin s temperature and press at which this water under favorable conditions of contest with the heated warts will be transformed to steam. This 1 ell ect in the preferred 0mhodinient of my invention by water-jacketing the compressors and then cntrainmg the in contact with the piston and hot walls of the cylinders, whereby an increased amount of heat is taken up and by the conversion of the water into steam is carried along with the compressed compononts oi the charge into the combustion-ordinder.

frated a form of apparatus embodying, the underlying principle of my invention, though representm but one out of many forms in carried into practical effect.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side clever water from the cylinder-jackets through and In the accompanying drawings 1. have illus which the t eory of my invention might be tion of the ap mratus complete. Fig. .2 represents a front elevation of the same with the eombustion-chamber removed and the compressors shown in central longitudinal sec tion. Fig. 3 is a transverse plan section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus complete.

in the drawings, 5 designates asin le acting expansion-enlgine designed to utilize the resulting products of combustion generated as hereinafter described, this cylinder having a reciprocating piston (not shown) connected to a main engine-crank 6 by an ordinary pitman 7 and cranlcdisk 8. lhe piston of the cXpansion-cylinder is connected 1y a pair of rigid vcrtically-dependmg connecting-rods 9 to a scotch cross-head 10, from which latter 'dpend a pair of parallel trunk-pistons 11 and 12, pertaining, respectively, to a pair of cylinders 13 and 14, the former being intended for the compression of air and the latter for the simultaneous compression iof the fuel em loyed in the charge. Air is admitted to t 1e compressor 13 through a pipe 15, which taps an annular chamber 16, surrounding the hollow trunk-piston l, the air entering the latter from the annular chamber freely through a series of openings 17, which arealways in free communication with the chamber 16. From the hollow trunk or stem of the piston the air freely passes on the upward or suction stroke past a valve 18 into the chamber of the cylinder. The compressorcylinder 13 is equipped with an annular chamber 19, extending the full length thereof to constitute a water-jacket This chamber is tapped at or near its lower end by a waterinlet pipe 20, while its up or end communicates freely with an aunu ar series of apcr tures 21, leadin to the interior of the cylinder-chamber, Wfille another annular series of vertical apertures 22 connect the upper end of the water-jacket with the lower end of the annular air-receiving chamber 16. i

It will be observed that thefuel-compressor is constructed and equipped in a manner substantially identical with the air-compressor, as already described, with the sin 1e difference that it is of considerabl srna ler size and capacity. Referrin brie y to its constituent elements, 23 in icates the gas-inlet ipe, which laterally ta s an annular chamber 24, surrounding the iollow trunk or stem of the fuel-compressor piston, which latter is provided with the apertures 25 and valve 26, whereby on the suction-strokethe fuel is introduced into the cylinder-chamber. An annular chamber 27 surrounds the fuel-cylinder 14 to serve the oilice'of a water-jacket, this chamber being tapped at or near its lower end by a water-in ct pi )e 28 and communicating at its upper end y a series of lateral apertures 29 with the interior of the cylinder and by a corresponding series of vertical apertures 30 with the lower end of the annular fuel-chamber 24.

31 designates a combustion chamber, which may conveniently be located between and behind the compressors. This chamber is designed to receive the highly-compressed components constituting the combustible motive agent for the purpose of tiring the latter therein preparatory to their use expansively in the 01]"lIlC-CYllllilel 5. For this purpose the chamber 31 is made of a suitable size to retain several successive charges ap' plied thereto by the compressors and permit the expanding gases to be drawn therefrom by the engine-cylinder in a substantially uniform supply and at a substantially uniform pressure. ln order to enable the chamber to withstand the highpressure and temperature to which it is subjected, it is made of material possessing the requisite pressure-resisting strength and is lined interiorly with lire-clay or other heat-resisting substances, (indicated at 32.)

A puppet-valve 33, preferably having a surface area coextensive with the transverse area of the air-compressor cylinder 13, guards the lower end of the latter, the charges from said cylinder escaping past said valve into the chamber 34; in the underlying cylinderhead, which chamber constitutes part of a discharge-conduit 35, leading thence into and through the bottom wall of the combustion-chamber 31. A similar pu pet-valve 36 closes the entire lower end 0? the fuelcompressor cylinder 14, past which the compressed fuel escapes into a chamber 37 in the cylinder-head constituting part of a conduit 38, also leading into the combustion-chamher through its lower end. As shown in Fig. 1, the fuel-conduit 38 preferably taps 'the air-conduit 35 at a point slii'htly below the junction of the latter with 1; 1e combustion-chamber, passing up thence inside of and coaxiall with the air-conduit and ternlinating at 1ts upper end in a spraying-nozzle 39, adapted to spray and disperse the fuel in a finely-divided condition into intimate contact with the entering air and steam surrounding the same. The conduits 35 and 38 may be equi ped with checkvalves, indicated at 35 an 38, respectively,preferably located as near the combustion-chamber as possible. At 40 1 have indicated a conventional form of electric sparker for initially igniting the admitted charges at the commencement of the engine's operation.

From the top of the combustion-chamber 31 a dischar e-pipe 41 serves to conduct the heated pro acts of combustion under high tension to the engine-cylinder 5, the motive fluid bein admitted to the latter preferably throng an ordinar balanced puppet-valve, the stem of which 18 indicated at 42, which valve mag, be actuated at the V 7 therein. at a point just? above the lewermost rSfCQI ERil in: m ily-wheel' '58, fast #3 "sliaft EL V: gin qy index 5 and expandin than Puree :tls; gaistun tlwreuf dmvm'vard 5; thereby aid- 7 A3 hereinalms e statsd, the engn Elie irxhaust premptlg 312 ieinninatinn sf:

7 the migine-pistsn nut and expelling all but a, sniall'fsifuam 9f" "sp ikeiffi and are yennitted t burp;

pgnp r intgsrvnls frnm an ecr-entric 23 0n the main shaft flxrnugh a. cmmecting=rud PY' T a finger-arm The pips 41 in supplied with a thruttlewalvn 41? n 2 the supply (if motiva fluid tn the Bugging 46 I haxe indicated the preselwe uf an 11' 321 in ay also be uperarelt V r V 1 2 n?! kg 16: gllgwn is: a smgle-alctmg cyhngf r and ag a Ea s cnre ihe l ssharge an Liza lii'lk'nf the WDl kiQg stinks i pmvide tha cylindfir with an annular series efradaai apart, ula 5*, lsnts CQIILPIES SOFS is the exhaust thrdugh the icliaf valve The spa-alien may bs'bgifiyx ascribed as fellows: The engine is initially ntarted by imparting a fewtu rns sf the shaft 5 either by hand Lhmugh the fly-wheel 59 m by film 115g of a sl'lmil anxiliai nast er. Air and fuel ar thereupon simalzaneuusly drawn lntn the cyl inders 0f the 3nd fuel pumps and on the 7 an il descent Qf 2: pilmgers therein are fats 31, in which latter they are ignitntl lj bOni-iqnnt rapid generation 0f bothhe ex mngwe en rgy, the eheck-vnlves 38 serving the gnupose nl aiding in p? 'eiaael' in t 19 Plmmlwr 3 1222 the gape 43 and inlet-valve i i 551g in the wmprvssiun nfi V nbigequvm charge s After a few Em-11s 9f the shaft- 5; sin nnwafznutiva flniil'i 7 nil-alumna? 0 'snpplyjthe engine 1 il-awfldng vulnine and pressures;

whereupn the snlmnqnmifi n; alien; a? the V As the opernmoi Tami? and pressms pl ilw l'snining in the chamber 51 rapidly lnlirea'sfi tula. high paint and since this increafiing pressure 12 efi'ectivv 62 not 0111 on tlu; piston 0f {he engine-cylinder, but against th siiiiwillx s. and 3.5,

fiifinpnnents oi the 2235. 31?? elivered J to the GQDIhIlStiOll-Gllfifiibfif at rapidlyiifi ained; but it seems quit:-

ima ing pressures until a q? agaproxinmlely tln ii designed to a rnl able that Susi; rnxinmtely & mgxinm ins f0! mechanleal reawn r3 j'ficinrle operation n. l: h

re. It is difficult in determine the exact, liaisin iii whisk i will be atn .1 that the minimum will be laws-r than that at which spentaneuus combustion would result if 0:11" prnssinn 5f bath snnstituems \ye re eileuteil in a singln cyiiner Itmay be here remarked that anothvr important advantage IEsnlting from the e1nploymenfluf separate compression waiting in the elimination thereby of all danger uf firing (gr burning ba s-k sf flie s-barge: befme' ii reached the 'ciii'nbusiion nhamlw'r pi n mf. This latter is an ever-present danger Wham @(Hiillined w g- 5%;; cf ihe finngmnfiiYs a? the chgggn is is c'iedgeven al' mnnpnmtn low Q gn 9i course is present in a. graier where hwl'ler pressures are 'QliLPlQFfiQlL Th6 Entire lreedom from this danger x x-his}; my hereinnlmve described mellmql and nifinns 0f effecting rompi'e an of ihfhfiifi 5enres, I regard as an img 'tani {33mm :11? my invention.

' At. S21E11 wnrking pressures as those indii ii; glam? the cyllnde'rs of infill the comnrn surs bar-002119 highly heated and in main iiyiinilers at operutivfi temperawell as to conserve and utilize the. an :vpiea-enterl thereby l admit evolwl in the nylinderjackcts tlnmggl: the

g a considerable psi i4; 1: the heat 111 in? sylinders, and rd into the latte? through the 'iatiaffil afmrtur j 21 and "6 at the upper ends: (a? the (}'lindnl"s and fififis thence down lax-gr the lzilaiui walls of serving in a' l-ertain exi'ent to a el lgm l1 ling llr; prlns-ipai 13319? nbslmriinn vi heat in wlwl; aga n 1km tllP wutvr lnvumcs mnverleli 211L411 lligliiy-hmiltell Sll'illl'l l'tilll?! and passes m'vr with ilxe air znul fuvl into the ml)usilfiikiflfiiifibfif, adding its heat tn ill? heat of he burning and vxlmmling prmlucis (if Clfii3i iifii-iil Elm laflm. This vmplu ginent nf snarl; rl 1'w0rking pressures nfinrd sulii aei than; to vupnrizv the g'avl ii iii ifii'iill lliu cnmprl'a he g ggi alive and V gnemlezl in ilw min m- Elia eshbgf' {1w nu ams and in tlw li ibezi and shown is lmliavmi in give resnlts in the direvtion of maximum Effifliflfiflg and cnnstiiutsi impurtant 238521 iz fgfiterisliu a? my inventinm {1 h5 3??? i amithe first in the amthe nest l'erring the jar servat ion of the heat units rreated in eonneetion with the compression ol the eonlhustibl:- eharge by a power-generator operating in substantially the manner hereituihove deserilielt alitl employing a eooling medium whit-h is brought into stlt'lt intimate eontaet with the heated parts ol the eon'lpressing agent as to praetieally abstraet all the heat therel'rom and is further eaused to unite with theehargeitsell' and pass therewith over into the eombustion-rhamher. seeuring, as an important auxiliary result. the eonstant matintemuu'e ol the eompressing agent in ellieienl workingeonditiun. l believe I am also the lirst, in eonneetion with the emp. yment of relatively high pressures, to employ separate eoinpressors eat'lt equipped with heat abstraeting and eolneving means as above deseribed tor the separate ennlpression ol' the eoniponents ol' the eharge, thereby etl'eeting the distinet advantage of eliminatingentirely all danger ol burning or tiring baek on the part of theeomlnlstihle mixture 1 do net, therefore.limit nrvsell' tothe u'eeiseeonstrue tion or arrangement of apparatus herein shown and deseribed, nor to the illustrated relative hroportions ol the several parts, silu'e it is obvious that the novel operations performed in earrring out my invention might be efleetetl through the use of other forms of apparut us tor etl'eeting the separate compression of the air and tool for uniting and burning the bitter and t'or utilizing its ex iansive ell'eet tor the production of power.

l elainr 1. ln an apparatus for generating motive power, the eomhination with a eomhustionchamber, ol' separate air and l'uel eompressors eonneeted therewith, and means in nssoeiation with said eompressors tor eonserving the heat of eompression generated therein by a heat-absorbing iluid and transferring the vapor ereated thereby to the eombustionehamber along with the eomponents of the eonibustible eharge, substantiallv as deseribed.

2. in an apparatus for generating motive power, the eombination with a eombustionehamber, of separate air illll adapted to operate at high pressures eonneeted therewith, water-jaeltets applied to said eompressors to absorb the heat of eon1- pression and maintain the eoinpressors at operative tem 'ltl'ttl ures, and means for transltet-water in the term of steamva )tll to the eombnstion-ehamber, substantially as deseribed.

3. In an apparatus t'or generating motive power, the eombination with a (annbustionehamber,ol' separate air and fuel eompressor adapted to operate at high pressures eonneeted therewith, and \\':1terjaekets surrounding the e vlinders of said eotnpressors and eommunieat ing with the interiors therel l'uel eompressors of, whet-eh; the jacket-water may be entrained through the cylinders, absorbing the heat of compression therefrom and passing in the form of steam-vapor with the compressed air and fuel into the combustionehamber, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for generating motive power, the eombination with a combustionehamber. of separate air and fuel compressors adapted to operate at high pressures connected therewith, water-jaekets surrounding the eylinders of said compressors, means for supplying water to one end of said jackets, means for entraining the jaeket-water from the opposite end of the jaekets through the eylinders, an engine, and means for supplying the latter with motive lluid from the combiistitin-ehamln-r, substantially as described.

5. in an apparatus for generating motive power. the eombination with a combustionehamber, of separate air and fuel compressors adapted to operate at high pressures eonneeted therewith, w aterjaekets surrounding the cylinders of said eompressors, means for supplying water to one end of said jackets, means for entraining the jacket-water from th opposite end of the jackets through the e \'linders, means for initially firing the compressed eharge in the eombust.ion-ehamber, an engine, and a supply-pipe leading thereto from the eombustion-ehamber, substantially as deseribed.

(L In an apparatus for generating motive power, the eombination with a combustionchamber, of separate air and fuel compressors adapted to operate at high pressures discharging thereinto, water-jackets surrounding the e \'linders of said eompressors, means for supplying water to said jackets and for ontraining the jaeketnvater therefrom through the eylinders wherein-it is converted into steanevapor by the heat of compression, an engine. a sup )ly connection from the eombustiona-ylint er to said engine, and operating eonneetions from the pl angers of the compressors to a. moving part of the engine, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for generating motive power, the combination with a eombustionehamber. of separate air and fuel compressors adapted to operate at high pressures diseharging thereiutowater-jackets surrounding the eylinders of said eompressors, means forsupplying water to said jackets and for entraining the jacket-water therefrom through the cylinders wherein it is eonverted into steannvapor by the heat of eom )ression, an engine longitudinally aliued with said eompressors, a scotch eross-head to which the plungers of the compressors are attaehed, and connecting-rods interniediate said scotch cross-head and the piston of the engine-cylinder, substantially as described.

R. In an apparatus for generating motive ower, ihe eambinstign with a combustion- 5 pluxlgei-s s fL-h eempressors are attached, chambensf aepai'ateairand fuel compressors; J ting-axis intermediate sazd. h

aaged is Qperats at high pressures dis tbs; iston of the engiae sharing tilere'uite, waterackets surrelmd= @5331; a {i -whge gigg ing 1: a

' t e and rivail bv the platen ai th' engine-2y eyliaders 0f said com ressors, means is! sagpiyiag wsifer in said 5136 and fureni; sabsfitz y as daacribed.

tr the jac et-watert ere 0m throng V Q O the :3 meisrs wherein it is eonverteiflia LEE b steamvapor by the heat 0f cum g; fi-BESBER engine iongitudinally alined wit 332;; gm B. WEB" n pressars a sctch ereBS-haad t0 the g Malawi A. AREEE: 

